Corona is a Bully

Months ago we tried to get tickets to "Hamilton" (Ethan's favorite musical). We failed. A few weeks later tickets for "Dear Evan Hansen" (Libby's favorite musical) went up for sale. Michael logged into the virtual ticket line, waited six hours, and just managed to get four tickets to the show. None of the seats were together, it was really expensive, and it was in Salt Lake City. Despite all of these things, we booked tickets and happily made plans to attend. We enlisted my adult nieces to stay with Grace and Sam. We made arrangements to crash on a friends floor the night before the play. I squirreled away a wad of money to visit IKEA. I washed and vacuumed the car. Libby bought road trip snacks. Laundry was washed so it could be easily pack. We were to leave in less than 24 hours, and all was in readiness. We were to leave Friday at noon.

Thursday I got off work and got a call from my friend Whitney, the owner of the floor we were going to crash on. She was wondering if our play was still scheduled, as the mayor had just banned large gatherings. We were still hopeful, but guarded. Two hours later Michael checked the venues facebook page and discovered our play (and many others) were canceled, and then he quickly received an email promising us a refund. Within the same hour we got an email saying that all church and church activities were canceled until further notice. The news also reported that the Boise mayor has asked for no gatherings over 250 people until further notice. No play, no trip, no church, no nothing. Plans of months fell apart in a couple of hours.

We have a weekend babysitter but no place to go. Do we still go to Salt Lake and hit IKEA? Do we stay home and save the money? Do we try finding a more local place on short notice? I just don't even know. I have dissapointed teens. I have diasspointed younger kids who were greatly looking forward to hanging out with their older cousins. I have a dissapointed self who was looking forward to IKEA. Michael is the only way not horribly dissapointed, and that is because preparing for the Corona virus is making his job pretty demanding right now.

A uncommon cold is wreaking havoc! I truly understand why organizations are taking the precautions they are. Precautions were ignored in Italy, and the country is struggling with a epidemic, and don't have the resources to treat it. If we can slow the spread of the virus, our infrastructure can handle the illness. Our country cannot handle it, though, if we all get sick at once. I understand all this. I truly do. That doesn't change how I feel though. I think Covid-19 is a big bully. He threatens, and threatens, and threatens. And we don't really have any choice. We have to roll over and do what he says, or he might just kill our grandparents. He's a jerk. And he's made me very grumpy, and I (along with billions of others, I'm sure) feel powerless.

*Update* -- More things that are closed/canceled: Boston Marathon (my brother was due to run), Robie Creek race, flights, Disneyland, cruises.
All the German foreign exchange students at Borah were sent home. The other exchange students are on pins and needles about their future plans. The school district is announcing school plans later today.
The grocery stores have been emptied of cleaning supplies, paper goods, bread, and canned goods. Strangely, the one I was in still had fully stocked chip and cookie aisles.

Personal Progress

The Church chose to discontinue the Personal Progress program (a program for Young Women to complete between the ages of 12-18) in December. They gave everyone six months notice the program was ending. Young Women currently working on it were encouraged to finish up the program, if they desired. Libby was about half way through, and decided it was important for her to finish. She had several more ten hour projects to finish, and she had to read the Book of Mormon. She finished her projects in plenty of time. She just couldn't seem to make any progress in reading the Book of Mormon.

The week after Christmas found her listening to the audio version of it set at double speed. 

She was able to complete all her projects and her reading with a whole day to spare.  The Stake cooked dinner for the girls and their parents to celebrate those that completed their Personal Progress and gave them each a framed picture to take home.

Libby is very proud of herself for completing it, and I am as well. I never did finish my Personal Progress when I was a Young Woman.  I love to see my kids out-achieve me!

5th Grade Fame

Grace was so pleased to be chosen as one of the 5th grade students to learn about plastics in the ocean, and then present the information to the younger classes. She worked on her presentation for weeks!

Her school hosted this display of ocean plastics (made entirely out of discarded plastic) made by the students at Timberline.

Grace and her friend Callie presented to the 2nd graders. The second graders were very, very interested in how big the Great Pacific Garbage Patch was in relation to everyday objects. Grace and her classmate fended a lot of questions regarding it. It's as big as Texas, for those interested.

Grace even got her name on a poster in the hall. I am very proud of all her effort.

Cold Weather

Cold weather means we have to entertain ourselves inside. 

We can make people piles.

Personal beautification is also an option.

Caught her before she got it all off.

Libby was happy to comply. Sam washed his face before I could get a photo.

Ethan isn't in to face masks, but he has been into origami. He usually makes it out of church programs and gives it to preschool kids during church. He was quite proud of his giant crane he made at the library, though. He then came home and made an itty bitty crane, as well. He needed a giant one and a bitty one.

We are doing okay entertaining ourselves, but we are all dreaming of warm weather, flip flops, and eating popsicles (instead of feeling like we are one).

New Zoo Exhibit

Zoo Boise hosted a free admission Saturday. Michael and I hemmed and hawed, screwed our courage to the sticking place, grabbed Grace and Sam and biked down. Ethan and Libby firmly excused themselves from the outing.

The zoo was, of course, packed with strollers, toddlers on leashes, and harried parents. Thankfully, Grace and Sam are old enough to not be tied to my wrist. It was mayhem, but still interesting.

The weather was nice, the animals were out.

The lion was majestic.

The monkeys were swinging.

When the kids were all little I felt like we lived at the zoo. It got very tedious. With a break of a few years, tons of new additions, and kids who aren't prone to toddling off, the zoo was once again interesting and fun.